Atlantic Legal Applauds Court Reform Efforts

Atlantic Legal has expressed its support for the Report of the Special Commission on the Future of the New York States Courts, entitled A Court System for the Future: The Promise of Court Restructuring in New York State, which was published today. In a letter to the Commissions Chair, Carey R. Dunne of Davis Polk & Wardwell, Atlantic Legals President Bill Slattery applauded the Commissions efforts to reform the states inefficient and wasteful trial court structure. Slattery noted that Atlantic Legal, in 2005, had studied the Chief Judges proposed reforms and had concluded in its own report:

After reviewing the Chief Judges restructuring proposal and the arguments advanced to oppose it, Atlantic Legal Foundation is convinced that the Chief Judges proposal should be adopted. The current structure cannot be defended. It is inefficient, costly to litigants and generally not conducive to the swift and sure administration of justice. It fails to take full advantage of the capabilities of the judiciary and makes needless and costly demands on attorneys and their clients time.

Atlantic Legal urges the business community to focus its considerable resources on securing passage of the reforms proposed by Chief Judge Kaye. For a copy of the Special Commissions Report, please click here.